A FILE inadvertently released to the National Archives contains a copy of the official report on a meeting between the Northern Ireland Prime Minister, Capt Terence O'Neill, and the Taoiseach, Mr Jack Lynch, on January 8th 1968. The original report, along with many other files relating to the historic series of meetings in the 1960s between Capt O'Neill and two Taoisigh - Sean Lemass and Jack Lynch - is still on the restricted list.
The report details speeches at a formal lunch in Iveagh House in Dublin on the day, and in a "conference" after lunch attended by a number of Ministers and senior civil servants.
"In his after lunch speech, replying to the Taoiseachs welcome and toast, Capt O'Neill remarked that this series of meetings of prime ministers, which began three years ago, was a bigger break with the past than many people realised," the report says.
"In the North there had been a rigid policy of no meetings before recognition. It was possible to interpret Mr Lemass's agreement to come to Stormont as `a kind of recognition'. While he knew we had our problems, too, he hoped that we would at least be able, in the interest of improving relations, to use and promote the use of the terms Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland government instead of the Six Counties and the Six County government in all publicity, including radio and television.
At the conference a general review of "matters of common interest" took place, including trade, tourism and economic and cultural relations in general.
Those present included the Tanaiste and Minister for External Affairs, Mr Aiken, the Minister for Transport and Power, Mr Childers, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr Blaney, the Minister for Finance, Mr Haughey, and the Minister for Industry and Commerce, Mr Colley.
Three Secretaries of Government Departments also attended, Messrs Whitaker, Nolan and McCann. On his side, Capt O'Neill was accompanied by Sir Cecil Bateman, secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mr Harold Black, secretary to the cabinet, Mr Kenneth Bloomfield, deputy secretary to the cabinet, and Mr J.Y. Malley's private secretary to the prime minister.
The Taoiseach, Mr Lynch started a general discussion with the remark that, apart from the proposed extension by Aer Lingus of its transatlantic jet service to Belfast, there seemed to be little fresh to add to a similar review conducted a few weeks previously in Belfast.
Mr Childers said co operation on tourism issues was proceeding satisfactorily. A new brochure dealing with Ireland as a whole had been prepared jointly and was due to be cleared shortly by the two governments.
An agreement had been signed for an electricity link which would save both governments money. The agreement also allowed them to consider sharing the output of the much larger generating stations envisaged for the future - including nuclear power plants.
Mr Blaney spoke about the continuing need for vigilance in both parts of Ireland to keep out foot and mouth disease. "He feared that, as the situation improved in Britain, a feeling eight develop that it was all over.
Mr Blaney also touched on a more delicate matter, according to the report. "While recent policy regarding Ministerial attendance at various functions, particularly that applied to the North, might now be considered too extreme, the Minister was against relaxations here which might create a sense of complacency, and hoped that the present close arrangements with the North would extend to simultaneity of any relaxation measures."
At this point in the conference, Capt O'Neill recalled Mr Blaney's interest as a former Minister for Local Government. He inquired whether the Government was going to introduce the breathalyser test.
Pressure was developing in the North for the introduction of a system of tests similar to ones in Britain. Capt O'Neill referred to "the desirability of a similar situation existing on both sides of the Border in order to facilitate the growing number of tourists who bring their own cars".
Mr Blaney explained that there was already a Bill before the Dail which provided not only for a breathalyser test but also for urine and blood tests. The main difference from the British scheme was that a higher alcohol limit was planned for the Republic. Mr Aiken suggested that the Northern authorities might consider adopting the Republic's standard, "in the interests of uniformity in the island as a whole".
Mr Haughey recalled that objects of interest between the two museums [presumably the Ulster, Museum and the National Museum] had been mentioned at the Stormont meeting of December 11th 1967. He suggested that, as the Rose exhibition was now coming to an end, this would an appropriate time to lend the Ulster Museum the Killymoon Hoard and any other objects of special interest.
"Capt O'Neill said that the Minister had taken the words out of his mouth, as he intended raising this general matter of cultural exchanges, our Museum and National Gallery being much richer than anything in the North. The N.I. government would be very appreciative if at least the Killymoon Hoard could be lent for a period right away.
"The Taoiseach said that this would be arranged. Capt O'Neill also wondered whether the Lane. pictures might not spend a while in Belfast on their way back to London and was assured that, so tar as our Government was concerned, we would be agreeable to such a change in the arrangements if the trustees of the British National Gallery also agreed."